Sahara bags sponsorship for Team India

Mumbai: Sahara has retained the sponsorship for Indian Cricket team for the next three and a half years.

Sahara won against close competitors Airtel and will now pay 3.34 crores for each match in all formats.

Airtel had reportedly bid to pay 2.89 crores for every match. Airtel and Sahara India both submitted a security deposit of 50 crores and along with the filing of forms before the deadline while many other firms backed off because of the high base price of 2.5 crores per match.

"Six took the forms but only Bharti Airtel and Sahara have sent the security deposit (Rs 50 crore). They will submit the financial bids tomorrow to the BCCI marketing committee that is meeting tomorrow," the sources told PTI today.

The Cricket Board had published a tender notice calling for bids for the Indian men's team, women's team, India A squad and the under 19 squad and the deadline to submit security deposit ended on Saturday.

The sponsorship of the India A team and women's team has not yet been finalized. It's possible that Airtel could take these up.